Improvement in registering steam-gages



P. MALTBY.

Registering Steam-Gages.

N0.143,530. Patented0ct.14,1873

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UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

PHILO MALTBY, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN REGISTERING STEAM-GAGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 143,630, dated October 14, 1873; application filed April 10,1872.

To all whom it may concern: l

Be it known that I, PnILo MALTBY, of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented an Improvement in Steam-Gages, of which the following is a specification lThis invention relates to an improved registering or indicating mechanism for steamgages, as hereinafter more fully set-forth.-

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section 'of the lower portion of the gage, and with the dial-plate removed from the case, showing the devices for operating the pointerspindle. Fig. 2 is a view of the rear ofthe case, showing' one form of registering mechanism and alarms. Fig. 3 shows a front view of my improved registering or indicating mechanism as applied to the gage, and Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of the same detached. Fi gs. 4 and 5 show top and lsectional views of the plunger-packing I prefer t0 use.

A represents a circular case, to the lower side of which is secured a frame, B, through which a rod, C, actuated by the piston D, passes. In the said frame is iiXed a baseplate, E, for a spiral spring, F, the spring having, at its upper end, a sleeve, G, attached, for adjusting-it on the rod C. The rod C is bent, above the said spring, slightly to one side, in order to pass the spindle H, which must be located in the center of the case. The action of the rod C on the spindle is in a straight line, however. On the spindle H is a small pinion, operated by a rack, I, having a socket, J, by which it is attached to the rod C, and is adjustable thereon. The lower end of the frame B terminates in a pipe, K, in which the piston D plays. The piston is surrounded by two metal packing's. The upper one, L, consistsof a round plate fitted in the pipe K, and having two grooves, at right angles to each other, in its upper face. In these grooves are fitted small plates M M, which lap over each other, having an opening at their intersection, through which'the piston D passes. The said piston may be round or square, as may be desired. The two upper plates M M have slots in them, and are held down by screws. These plates are kept in close contact with the piston by springs N N. The lower packing consists of a round plate, I), cut into two halves,

and which also has a groove across the upper surface, in which are fitted two small plates, p p, through which also the piston D passes.

The two parts of the plate l? are held together arranged a set of registering-wheels, UU U,

having teeth cut in their circumference. Said wheels are operated by an arm, V, on the spindle Hf These wheels are set in holes made in the base-plate of the case, and may be shifted from one to another for the purpose ot' indicating at any desired point. One or more of these wheels may be employed, as may be desired. They are for indicating and registering the number of times the pointer has passed a given point on the dial. To prevent' the wheels turning, except by the arm Y, a small weighted or spring dog, V, pivoted to the base-plate, is used. The wheels have numbers opposite their teeth, (or every fifth tooth,) numbering from on one side of the wheel, for registering the number of times the wheel has been turned by the arm. The arm is so arranged that it will not turn the wheel in its backward movement. In Figs. 3 and 6 I have shown my improved means for registering the traverse of the pointer, which may be located on the rear side of the case, or on the face, as may be desired. This registering device consists of an arm, W, attached to the spindle H, in which 'is arranged a long screw, VV, having on the inner enda 'star-wheel, X, provided with a small dog, w, which will turn the screw one way, but is designed not to turn it in the opposite direction, the wheel working loosely on the screw. 0n the arm Wis placed a slide, y, through which the screw W passes. This slide is carried outward by the turning of the screw, and has a pencil-point attached, which will mark the motions of the arm. To the dial-plate, over which this arm plays, are set pins or staples z, atsuch points as may be desired, for indicating the travel of the pointer, with which pins the wheel coming in contact will be turned, carrying the slide forward, by

which means the pencil-point Will be made to mark a larger circle by the vibrations of the pointer. The number of times this slide has been moved outward will indicate and register the number of times the pointer has passed a given point, thus registering the number of times the steam has been up to a certain pressure. A

The pencil-point I propose to make metallic, which Will mark lines by scratching on the inside of a glass plate which has been coatedA with Whiting or some such suitable substance. These lines cannot be erased Without detection. When the coating has been marked over a feW times, the glassmay be recoated, by taking it out for that purpose, by the proper officer.

In Fig. 2 is seen a device for giving'an alarm, which consists of a stud, a', playing in a slot in the base-plate of the case, said stud being attached to the rod C, and carrying tWo pivoted arms, b b. These arms, as they move back and forth, will move the hammer c of either of the gongs d e-the one as the stud moves up, and the other as it moves down. The gongs are of different size, so as to give a different sound. The object is to give notice whenever the steam is up to a certain point or down to a certain point. The gongs are so arranged that they may be adjusted in such positions as may be required for indicating the difference. The gongs may be situated in any convenient part of the case for the purpose. To one side of the pipe K is attached a small pipe having` a cock. On this pipe I attach a small steam-gage, g, having a piston similar to D in the main gage, on which is placed a spring carrying a small point, to indicate on the scale on the side of the gage-case g. This small gage is intended to be applied by screwing it onto the small pipe at such times as it may be desired to test the spring F-bycomparing its tension with the small gage.

The operation of this gage is as follows: The steam, bearing against the end of the piston D, forces it upward, Which acts on the rod C, Which, carrying the rack I, revolves the spindle through the pinion. The collar G is made adjustable on the rod C, having a set-screw for the purpose of regulating the tension of the spring F, Which tension should be in proportion to the steam-bearmg surface of the piston D. This may be ascertained by applying a sca1e-beam,f, at the top of the gage, attached to a rod projecting from the rod C, and the mode of ascertaining is as follows: If, for instance, the end surface of the piston is, say, one inch square, and there is a pressure of fifteen pounds thereon, it will be so indicated on the dial. Now, if it is desired to test the accuracy of this measurement of the spring, a fifteen-pound weight is hung on the beam f,- and, if the spring is true, the same Will beindicated on the dial by the hand being at the mark 15.' If the end surface is a fraction of an inch, the tension of the spring Will be adjusted accordingly. The advantage of this arrangement is that the accuracy of the gage can be tested at all times Without resort to a mercury column and pump, and to this extent Will be found very useful.

. What I claim, however, as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination, in a gage, of the arm XV, attached to the spindle H, screw W', star-Wheel X, steel point y, and its slide, With the pins z and the Whiting or other coated glass of the case, all as and for the purpose specified.

Titnessesz PHILO MALTBY.

Guo. MENGER, M. GALLAGHER. 

